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“…Ugh… ngh, d-dammit…!”
“Ah—Master!! Thank goodness, you’ve woken up!!!”
“…With that volume, Momo, I almost passed out again.”

The sound pounded mercilessly against my waking eardrums, leaving me dizzy—but that was nothing compared to the pain. The pain was so overwhelming it made even the thought of fainting seem like a luxury.

Being cradled in Momo’s lap was irritating enough, but I couldn’t move a single finger. If I so much as tried to sit up, I felt as though my whole body would scatter into pieces on the spot.

“Momo… how long was I out… and what’s the situation…?”
“Um, let’s see… you were asleep for maybe about an hour. Pest gave you some first aid, and in the meantime, the king called in some sorcerers to help.”
“I see… so at the very least, I won’t be dying just yet…”

I turned my head just slightly. We were still in the middle of the desert, the scars of battle plain around us.

They probably hadn’t dared to move me. Those Ascles believers serving in the royal palace must’ve been skilled, though still not on the same level as that saint.

The fact that I wasn’t fully healed simply meant my injuries were that severe.

“Once they finished patching you up, Ragna and the others left right away. Oh—and they also collected the dragon’s corpses…”
“Ah… so that king kept his promise and slew the dragon. To think he managed to pull it off on his own.”
“Hmph! Were you speaking of me, White One!?”
“I was not—and where the hell did you spring from?”

From just outside my limited range of vision came that grating voice.

Judging from his tone, the unfortunate truth was clear—unlike me, he’d escaped with barely a scratch. Why the hell was there such a gap?

“Mm, it’s good to see you breathing again. Though your color is poor—you should return to my castle and take proper nourishment.”
“Sorry, but I doubt I could keep down a proper meal right now… my whole body aches, I feel drained, and my head is spinning…”
“Ah, Pest mentioned it earlier. She said she embedded a strong disease to counteract the poison’s effects, so you’ll have a fever for a while.”
“…Extinction by plague, is it…”
“Huh?”
“…Never mind. If I’ve been stricken with an illness, then you should keep your distance, or it might spread to you.”
“It’s fine! She said it’s a sickness that doesn’t infect me at all!”
“Ah… the old saying about fools being immune, huh…”

I stopped short of pushing the matter any further—some things were better left unsaid.

Besides, if she’d been this close to me for an hour already, it was far too late. I’d just have to recover before she ever realized she was showing symptoms, or we’d both collapse together.

“That’s how it is. I’d feel guilty fouling your palace with plague… I’ll heal myself in my own way, so don’t concern yourself…”
“Saying that in your condition strips the words of all conviction, White One. Rest easy—a child’s little cold is no problem for me!”
“Who are you calling a chil—ghk, cough, cough…!”
“Ah, Master! Don’t push yourself! Your heart even stopped once already!”
“Damn it… nothing goes the way I want…”

A thousand years ago, if I caught a cold or two, stuffing some food in my stomach and sleeping it off was enough to recover.

But with this fragile body? Try the same rough remedy and I’d likely die on the spot. Infuriatingly frail—far too frail.

“…So. What of the Scorchflame Dragon?”
“Mm. Do you wish to see it? This way.”

At the king’s gesture, Momo hoisted me onto her back and followed after him.

It was only when the wind hit me that I noticed—the blistering desert heat had all but vanished.

“Valka! I’ve brought her. Is there still life in you?”
“…Still alive, even now? Dragons truly are absurd creatures.”

What awaited us was a charred crater where the last embers still smoldered.

At its center lay a long neck, half-severed midway through, and a massive “stake” impaled straight through its torso.

Metal? I couldn’t tell what the spike pinning the dragon’s body was made of, but it was easily larger than that golem Momo called the Kyodaigorou.

“…Eh? Oh, I understand! Master, please take my hand. Mr. Valka wants to speak with you.”
“So even in this state, you insist on pushing yourself… both of us barely clinging to life.”

After a moment’s hesitation, I took Momo’s outstretched hand.

Perhaps it was a way for dragons to sync their channel of speech—because the moment I did, a voice unfamiliar yet clear resonated in my mind.

*——So. It seems we both fought a fierce battle. Babel.*

“…So you know that name. Unfortunately, the soul inside isn’t the same.”

*——Of course I know. The shape of the soul is different… and yours is badly abraded.*

“……”

*——It won’t be long now. This body will soon return to flame. Did you see the underground ruins?*

“Yeah, just a little. What on earth was that?”

*——A trace of the humanity that perished long ago. I’ve kept it hidden all this time, believing it might one day serve the humans who live now.*

“…Why would a dragon do something like that?”

*——I suppose I wanted to show it off before I died. To say, once, there were things like this.*

From the dragon’s nostrils—what could only be mistaken for those of a corpse—rose faint sparks of fire.

Even with his life nothing more than a candle flickering in the wind, he laughed from the bottom of his heart.

*——Or perhaps… I wanted to protect them. I met two humans who were truly interesting. It would be a waste to wipe out humanity now.*

“…Do Theo and the others really mean to annihilate mankind?”

*——Sooner or later, it will come to that. The creed of the dragon princesses is flawed—they cannot coexist with humanity. But…*

“But?”

*——They’ve lost the means to destroy mankind. Because two of their own betrayed them.*

As he said this, flame welled up from the body of the dragon, already at the edge of death.

No—every part of his being that had once composed the body of a dragon now transmuted into fire.

*——Child of a strange fate, I go on ahead. Please, do not let this flame be extinguished.*

“…I’ll do what I can. But don’t expect much from me.”

*——Ah, you are a fearful one… heh. But it’s fine. I’m sure… you will——…*

Before he could finish, Valka Muetta’s body scattered into sparks, drifting up into the sky.

Thus ended the strange dragon who had loved mankind.